1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hand propelled wheeled carts and the like, and more specifically to a cart adapted for removable insertion into a motor vehicle having a rear access door, such as a small van, station wagon, or sport utility vehicle. The present cart includes four wheels which are automatically retracted when the cart contacts the rear of the vehicle, in order to allow the cart to slide in and out of the vehicle on a cooperating track installed therein. Additional features, such as a removable insert, baby seat(s), and closable cover, may be provided in addition to the basic cart.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various hand operated carts and the like have been developed for both general and special purposes, since the invention of the wheel. An example of such is the shopping cart, which was developed with the advent of the supermarket. With the relatively large store area and vast number of different products and articles available, such carts became virtually a necessity for supermarket shoppers and have largely displaced the use of the earlier standard shopping bag or basket, at least for larger shopping purchases.
While the use of such carts has spread to many other types of commercial establishments, they are all quite similar, in that they are generally formed in a relatively open wire basket configuration with a transverse rear handle and four relatively small diameter wheels. The small diameter wheels preclude, or at least make difficult, travel over any but the smoothest and most level of surfaces, such as the hard floor normally provided in large store. Moreover, such carts are extremely limited in their use, as the non-retractable legs generally preclude their insertion in any but the largest of vehicles. As such carts are generally the property of the store, there is no intent that they be removed from the area of the store and that they have a wider range of use.
However, this limits the shopper to use of the car only in and near the store. Goods may be carried in the cart through the checkout line, and perhaps to the curb where they must then be loaded into the vehicle by hand. When the shopper returns home with the groceries and/or other goods, they must then be carried by hand from the vehicle into the home for stocking in the refrigerator, freezer, cupboard, etc., as appropriate.
Accordingly, it will be seen that a cart which remains the property of the shopper, and which is adapted for secure attachment within a motor vehicle, would facilitate considerably the purchase and delivery of groceries and other goods. Such a cart must be provided with retractable wheels, in order to provide for compact carriage within the rear cargo space of the typical utility vehicle, such as a minivan, station wagon, etc. Additional features are also desirable to provide greater utility and safety for the cart, such as wheel brakes and a complementary track arrangement within the rear of the vehicle, which the bottom of the cart engages to provide secure attachment of the cart within the motor vehicle during movement of the vehicle. The automatic folding and extension of the wheels of the cart, when the cart contacts the motor vehicle, is also desirable. Additional features, such as large diameter wheels to facilitate travel over soft, rough, or uneven terrain, may also be provided, to provide even greater versatility for the present cart. Removable seating for babies or small children may also be provided, for use when the cart is being propelled by hand. A top closure and removable insert may also be provided, for greater security and versatility. A review of the prior art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present utility cart, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,711,629 issued on May 7, 1929 to Robert L. Wright describes a Land, Water, And Air Vehicle, which structure is directed primarily to a complex motorized retraction system for the wheels. The wheels are drawn vertically upwardly by a rack and pinion system, and a complex mechanism of shafts, racks, and pinion gears is used. The device is sufficiently massive that some other form of propulsion must be provided, as evidenced by the draw tree provided for a team of draft animals at the front of the vehicle. No means is disclosed for securing the device within another vehicle, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,047 issued on Mar. 10, 1959 to Burt Weil describes a Stretcher Having Retractable Legs, having two relatively large diameter fixed wheels at the forwardmost end and an additional four small casters which are provided below a folding pantograph type structure. The present invention provides four relatively large diameter wheels therebeneath, enabling the cart to be rolled easily over relatively rough or uneven terrain. The Weil casters would tend to dig in to such soft or rough terrain. While Weil does provide two large diameter wheels, these are only used to roll the gurney into and out of a vehicle, unlike the track arrangement provided for the present cart. Weil makes no disclosure of any means of firmly securing his stretcher within a vehicle, as provided by the present invention. Moreover, the simultaneous retraction of the four casters of the Weil stretcher, would result in the aft end of the stretcher requiring support by a person. The present retraction system provides for the independent retraction and extension of the forward and rearward wheels, so the rear of the cart is supported by its wheels when only the front portion is in the vehicle. Weil does not disclose any closure means, supplemental inserts, child seating, or brakes for his stretcher, all of which are provided by the present cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,016 issued on Mar. 19, 1963 to William D. Pratt describes an Auto Cart having a retractable undercarriage with four small casters extending therefrom. The casters all retract simultaneously due to a scissors type mechanism for the undercarriage. Two more small wheels are provided at the front of the cart, which must be placed upon another surface to cause the arm to which they are attached to release the lock for the main casters, to allow them to retract. A user of the Pratt cart must still support the rear of the cart, as all four wheels retract simultaneously. No brakes, child seat, closable cover, or means providing for the positive securing of the cart within the vehicle, are provided by Pratt, whereas these features and others are provided by the present utility cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,978 issued on Apr. 2, 1963 to Allan D. Foster describes a Cart Having A Removable Load Carrier, which cart is adapted for use with a specially configured supermarket checkout conveyor. A removable sling type carrier forms the floor and forward and rearward end walls of the cart, and is supported by the side walls of the cart. The cart is wheeled into position at the end of the conveyor, and the sling is detached from the cart and automatically carried onto the conveyor, along with any goods therein. The cart is wheeled to the delivery end of the conveyor, and the sling is deposited back into the cart. The apparatus does serve to automate the checkout procedure, but does nothing to provide for the removable installation of the cart within a vehicle, as provided by the present invention. The Foster cart wheels are relatively small and non-retractable, as Foster does not anticipate the use of his cart much outside the smooth surface of the store area. Foster is silent regarding brakes, wheel retraction, attachment means within a vehicle, child seats, etc., all of which are provided by the present utility cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,223,429 issued on Dec. 14, 1965 to Robert L. Hastings describes a Foldable Utility Cart having a total of six wheels. Two large wheels provide the primary support, with two casters supporting the end adjacent the handle. The problem with small casters has been discussed further above. In addition, two more wheels are provided at the forward end, to support that end when the cart is wheeled up to another surface for loading thereon. The main wheel retraction means is operated by the user of the cart releasing a handle, with the rear support casters being retracted by folding a brace beneath the cart. No track means is disclosed to attach the cart securely within a vehicle, as provided by the present cart. The present retraction mechanism is actuated completely automatically, with the user of the present cart needing to perform no further operation than wheeling the cart to the back of the vehicle and contacting the vehicle with the front of the cart. Moreover, Hastings is silent regarding various other features (baby seats, etc.) provided by the present cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,896 issued on Jun. 30, 1981 to Josef Eicher describes a Safety Mechanism For A Carriage Insertable into The Load Space Of A Vehicle. The carriage includes only two main wheels; the difficulty of supporting such a cart having only two wheels has been noted further above. The wheel struts are similar to those of the present invention. However, levers must be actuated manually to disengage the down locks for the struts, to allow the wheels to fold. Eicher makes no provision for automated release of the down lock pins, as provided by the present invention. In fact, the automated mechanism of the Eicher cart, teaches away from the present cart wheel retraction mechanism, by providing an automated means for preventing the operation of the manual retraction levers. Weight must be resting on the forward end of the cart, to cause a small caster to pivot about an attachment point and to pull a release cable, thereby allowing the down lock to be released manually by the levers on the handles. As the present system does not use manual handles to release the retraction down locks, no such automated safety device is required. As in the case of most of the other prior art discussed above, Eicher does not provide for various other features of the present invention, such as child seats, brakes, removable inserts, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,985 issued on Jan. 25, 1983 to Elroy E. Bourgraf et al. describes a One Man Cart For Articles, including a total of six small diameter wheels. Two of the wheels are forwardly positioned to rest on the floor of a vehicle during the loading and unloading of the cart therefrom, with the remaining wheel structure being foldable. A single lever must be manually released to allow the forward wheels to fold rearwardly, and the same lever further moved to release the locking braces for the rear wheels. No automatic retraction is disclosed by Bourgraf et al., as is provided by the present cart. Bourgraf et al. further do not provide any means of positively locking the cart to the vehicle floor, nor any brakes, child seating, attachable and removable enclosure, or various other features provided by the present utility cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,096 issued on Dec. 24, 1985 to Peter Lucas et al. describes a Detachable Bag Intended Particularly For Use With A Mobile Container. The bags are flexible, fabric shopping bags, and are adapted to be placed removably within a shopping cart or the like. The present utility cart may make use of a similar removable insert, but the present insert is secured about its entire periphery within the cart, for security and to prevent spillage therefrom. The cart described with the Lucas et al. bags is conventional, and none of the features of the present utility cart are disclosed in the Lucas et al. patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,148 issued on Aug. 30, 1988 to Richard H. Ferneau et al. describes a Multiple Level Roll-In Cot, comprising a tubular metal frame having telescoping, generally diagonal supporting crossmembers. The distal ends of the crossmembers each have a small diameter wheel extending therefrom, with the forward and aft wheels on each side being tied together by another telescoping strut. The arrangement provides exceptional versatility for height and angular adjustment, but the connection between front and rear wheels results in the rearward portion of the stretcher frame, and any load thereon, requiring support by a person as the stretcher is loaded and unloaded from a vehicle. No means is provided for the securing of a container to the stretcher, nor for closing the container, supplemental child seats, brakes, etc., which features are a part of the present utility cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,871,100 issued on Oct. 3, 1989 to Brian Posner describes a Shopping Bag having a generally rectangular configuration with a rigid floor and opposite upper sides. The sides are adapted to hook over the sides of a shopping cart. The foldable remaining sides enable the bag to be folded flat. While the present cart may make use of a removable insert, the insert has a configuration which is substantially different from that disclosed by Posner. Posner makes no provision for further utility of the cart, other than its customary use in a grocery store, supermarket, or the like, whereas the present cart provides for secure carriage in the back of a vehicle and numerous other features.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,889 issued on Feb. 5, 1991 to Juan Server Perez describes a Foldable Chart (sic) For Shopping, comprising a two wheeled dolly with the wheels folding laterally inwardly. The wheels are restricted to a small diameter, as they reside beneath most of the structure of the cart. No rigid basket or enclosure is provided, nor is any means of anchoring the device in its unfolded state within a vehicle, any child seats, brakes, etc., as provided by the present utility cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,722 issued on Mar. 3, 1992 to George M. Reazer, III et al. describes an Automatically Adaptable Fastening System For Wheeled Cots And Similar Devices, providing a track for the positive anchoring of an ambulance gurney or the like within a vehicle. The present utility cart also uses a track, but the present track means is considerably simpler, as only a single retaining latch is required. The Reazer, III et al. track is quite complex, as multiple latches are required for different stretcher configurations, and the device is adapted for a standard stretcher fitting. Conventional stretchers or gurneys roll on their retracted wheels, or on a supplementary set of rollers, rather than on bearings within the track. The present cart uses relatively large wheels which are retracted above the vehicle floor for clearance, and uses roller bearings or the like within the walls of a smooth, continuous track. Reazer, III et al. are silent regarding the configuration of the cot or the like to which their track is adapted; no disclosure is made of any form of utility cart, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,634 issued on Dec. 21, 1993 to Sharon A. Walton describes a Method Pot Covering Shopping Carts, comprising a spring loaded retractable sheet which rolls onto a removable roller. The roller is hooked to the wire frame at one end of the cart, and the opposite end of the retractable sheet is hooked to the opposite end of the cart. The device is not adaptable to the present utility cart, as the relatively thick padded peripheral structure thereof precludes the use of hooks thereon to attach the device. Moreover, the present cart may include a permanently attached cover, which is completely closable about all sides, unlike the Walton device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,942 issued on Feb. 21, 1995 to Mary R. Schuster et al. describes a Brake Assembly For Shopping Carts, comprising a pair of tire engaging shoes which are rigidly connected to a lower horizontal crossmember which is fastened to the frame. While the present utility cart may use brakes operating on the principle of frictional engagement with the tires, the Schuster et al. system is not adaptable to the present cart, due to the retraction of the wheels of the present cart; a cable system must be used. Moreover, the operation of the Schuster et al. system is by means of a very low pedal mounted on the crossmember, which is only slightly above the small diameter cart wheels. This makes it easily accessible to small children. The present brake system is operated by a separate lever adjacent the high mounted handlebar of the cart, thereby placing the brake actuation (and release) out of reach of small children.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,286 issued on Jul. 4, 1995 to Victor K. Foust describes a Cart Securing Apparatus, comprising a forward stop which engages the front axle of the cart and a rearwardly disposed clamp which secures to a rearward lateral support crossmember of the cart. Accordingly, the cart must be specially adapted for use with the Foust apparatus, with only two forwardly disposed wheels and no rear wheels, unlike the present cart. The Foust apparatus would not work with the present utility cart, with its four retractable wheels and lack of any lower lateral crossmembers for the Foust apparatus to engage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,347 issued on Oct. 17, 1995 to Lim Chiv describes a Bumper Arrangement For Nestable Carts, comprising a pair of generally vertical metal reinforcement rods in the rear panel of the carts and a mating pair of metal bumpers in the upper edge of the forward panels. These so-called bumpers are not intended to absorb shock, but rather to reduce wear and tear on the plastic structure of the forward and aft panels of the cart. The present cart may include a bumper, but the present bumper is generally horizontally disposed about the entire upper rim of the cart, and is padded to reduce damage or injury to objects or persons which might be struck by the cart.
British Patent Publication No. 646,685 to Rudolph Werlen and published on Nov. 29, 1950 describes Improvements In Or Relating To Bags, comprising a rigid, folding frame having a folding bag thereover. The structure resembles the foldable cart of the Server Perez U.S. patent discussed further above.
Swiss Patent Publication No. 482,573 to Andreas Hofman Metallwarenfabrik and published on Jan. 30, 1970 illustrates a supplementary basket or container which is removably attachable to the horizontal framework of a baby carriage or the like. The device includes longitudinal, parallel rod members which insert into the longitudinal tubular wheel support structure of the carriage. No means for covering or enclosing the basket, securing the carriage within a vehicle, folding the wheels, brakes for the wheels, etc. appears in the Swiss patent.
German Patent Publication No. 2,803,003 to Otto Reichelt Gmbh and published on Jul. 26, 1979 illustrates a shopping cart rear wheel steering lock mechanism, which locks the rear wheels in a straight alignment when the cart is free from other carts, but which unlocks the rear wheel alignment to allow the rear wheels to turn when the cart is interlocked with another cart for storage. The steerable rear wheels of the plurality of carts, along with their standard front steering, permits a person to maneuver the array of carts much more easily. However, no braking or retraction mechanism is disclosed, as provided by the present utility cart.
British Patent Publication No. 2,135,942 to Christopher T. S. Williams and published on Sep. 12, 1984 describes A Folding Shopping Trolley, resembling a low shopping cart with a fabric container permanently installed on the collapsible frame. Additional removable inserts are provided. No retraction of the wheels, brakes, child seating, or means providing for the positive securing of the cart within a vehicle, is provided.
European Patent Publication No. 286,520 to Guy Lemerre and published on Oct. 10, 1988 illustrates a folding shopping trolley (cart), in which the sides of the rectangular basket are hinged to allow them to fold flat, unlike the rigid construction of the present cart. The Lemerre cart also has a wheel retraction system, but the entire undercarriage folds simultaneously. The disadvantages of this type of mechanism have been noted further above. No means for securing the cart within a vehicle, provision for child seating, brakes, removable inserts, etc., are disclosed.
German Patent Publication No. 4,033,179 to Hans-Andreas Fein and published on Aug. 14, 1991 illustrates a portable stackable container which essentially comprises a rectangular box with an open top. The box is adaptable for carriage on a wheeled cart frame, but there is no apparent provision for placing the entire wheeled cart into a vehicle, nor for folding or retracting the cart wheels to allow for such placement. Instead, the box must be removed from the cart frame for placement of the box in the vehicle, which leaves the problem of handling the box at the ultimate destination, where the cart is not available. The present invention solves this problem, with its retractable undercarriage and track means enabling the entire cart to be removably secured within a motor vehicle.
French Patent Publication No. 2,700,150 to Jean-Louis Crocy and published on Jul. 8, 1994 illustrates a trolley (cart) which is foldable vertically and horizontally, and includes a detachable basket(s). No specific, separate retraction mechanism providing for the independent retraction of the front and rear wheel assemblies is apparent. Rather, the entire frame, including the undercarriage with its small casters, folds as a unit. No means is apparent for removably anchoring the cart within a motor vehicle, as provided by the present invention, nor is any disclosure apparent of child seating, covers for the basket(s), wheel brakes, etc., as provided by the present utility cart.
Finally, British Patent Publication No. 2,275,895 to Clares Equipment Limited and published on Sep. 14, 1994 describes A Shopping Trolley, generally similar to conventional shopping carts. However, a pair of side by side, rearwardly facing baby seats are provided toward the back of the cart, with a partition about two thirds of the way toward the back of the cart providing support for the seats. The rear third of the cart is accessible through the back wall of the cart. While the device provides more comfortable seating for up to two infants or very small children, it does not provide any means of retracting the wheels for insertion of the cart into a vehicle, nor any means to anchor the cart removably in a vehicle, as provided by the present utility cart.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.